The Need to Protect
by Viet Devil
Summary: Jaime started his day off with a flu. He brushed it off, hoping today would be as smooth as possible. Luck wasn't on his side at all, especially when the team got into an argument with him for being late. Then things didn't look too pretty from then on. Bad at summarys! RxR!


Jaime felt like utter crap. The beeping of his alarm seemed to be especially louder this morning.

_ "Detecting irregular breathing and fatigue. Scanning for viruses."_

The Scarab's voice pounded from inside his head. "Speak softer, dude! No need to yell."

"_Virus detected. Body has been infected with earthian virus, influenza. I suggest rest and proper fluids until the virus are gone."_

Jaime groaned. The Flu? Really?

"_Yes really. Now back to sleep, unless you want me to manifest the armor and leave it on for me to—"_

"Pass! You did that when I caught the cold, never forgot about it, ever." Jaime huffed out as he slowly rose up from his bed. "Besides, I got school and training afterwards. Can't miss those or I'll be in trouble."

_"Eliminating the trouble will not be a problem."_

"Huh, if only you can eliminate school."

_"If deemed as a threat."_

"You have no idea." Jaime got up and went to the bathroom across the hall. He closed the door and faced the mirror. He examined his face, spotting a bit of discoloration in his face. "Great." He felt his forehead, but didn't notice if he was hot or not.

_"Body temperature scanner reads the body is 100.7 degrees Fahrenheit. I suggest a cold shower to lower it."_

"Cold! Hermano, I'm freezing! I'm taking a hot one."

_ "That'll only raise the temperature. You'll be doing more harm than done."_

Jaime ignored the comment and went on to taking his warm, steamy shower.

_"You are stubborn."_

"Back at ya." Jaime heard the Scarab mutter something else but stayed quiet the entire time. After he finished he ran to his room with a towel wrapped around his waist. He dug in his closet for a t-shirt, and jeans. He grabbed his sweatshirt and put on some socks. He grabbed his backpack and ran down to the kitchen. Jaime went over to the medicine cabinet and opened a Tylenol bottle and popped a couple of pills in his mouth. "There I took some pills. It should kick in a few."

_"It'll only subside it. Your activities will not be much help to it."_

"Look, as soon as training is over I'll go home finish my homework and hit the bed early as soon as possible, alright?" Jaime tried to reason with the Scarab.

"_That's reasonable."_

"Great, now let's get to school before I get detention for being late." Jaime said as he took off to his backyard and manifested the armor and flew off.

As Jaime carefully flew over the city without being seen, he heard a scream of terror below. He jerked in surprise.

"Seriously, couldn't it be some other day?" Jaime swore as he dove down to locate the scream. He looked around and saw a car crash on the bridge. A large truck swerved off the road and hit a car. The car crashed into the side of the bridge and plummeted into the water below. Jaime curse as he dove down very fast into the water. Submerged in the cold water, Jaime saw the white car slowly sinking. He swam to the car and looked inside. He saw the woman panicking and turned around. He glanced in the back seat to see a baby. _'There goes the idea of blasting the door and taking her away.'_ He thought.

_"I like that idea for once."_

'_Time for some hooks' _Jaime said to himself.

_ "I assume you're going to lift the car up. It can, but you also need a jet to get up there fast or the water pressure and the Carbon dioxide levels in the car are going to kill them."_ The Scarab said as he manifested a jet on the boy's back.

_ 'And away we go!' _Jaime said as he lifted the car up. The sudden blast from the jet rocketed him up. As he broke through the surface, he slowly and carefully got to the bridge where several police cars and ambulances and fire trucks were present. As he went over them, the people cleared the area for the hero to lower the car to safety. The jet and hooks disappeared and he landed on the ground. He went over to the car and yanked the jammed door open. He saw the lady holding her baby close to her, both the mother and baby were crying.

"You're safe now Ma'am." He said slowly to the frightened woman.

The woman got up from the car and stood before him. "T-thank you." She trembled out.

Jaime took his cue and left the area before others start questioning him. As the school was in his sights, he sighed in relief. "Just in time." He landed in nearby bushes and the armor was removed. He looked carefully for others before getting out. The boy dashed to his classroom before he was tardy, and luckily, he wasn't.

Throughout the day, the medicine he took slowly wore off. Class by class he became more sleepy and groggy. At his last class of the day, all the students, including the teacher, waited for the clock to strike three fifteen. Everyone except Jaime that is. The boy fell asleep as soon as the teacher spoke the lesson.

As soon as the bell rung everyone rushed out in joy. All but Jaime and the teacher were left.

"Jaime." The man spoke. No answer. "Jaime!" he hollered a bit louder. The boy woke up in surprise.

"Hu-what?" he slurred out. Jaime lifted his head too fast and caused the things around him to be woozy.

The man sighed. "You fell asleep during class. You usually never sleep during biology. Is anything wrong?" the man asked, concerned for the boy's wellbeing.

"Everything is fine sir, just not feeling too well today." He said closing his eyes.

"I can see that, you look a bit pale. You sure you don't want to head down to the nurse?"

"Yes sir.

The man looked at the boy. "Don't push it alright? Go home and get some rest and don't listen to the little voice in your head that tells you to do otherwise." he patted him on the back, almost near where the Scarab was implanted on his back. The Scarab, sensing the man was a threat and knows, manifested the armor under his sleeve.

_"He knows! Activating plasma canon!"_

"No! Wait!" Jaime said aloud. He pulled his sleeve down to hide the blue and black armor.

The teacher glanced back and looked at the boy.

"Uhh-I mean….i gotta go! See ya!" Jaime said, grabbing his backpack. He dashed for the door and down the hallway.

_"What are you doing? He knows! He's a threat! He needs to be eliminated!"_

"What? No! He was only worried and patted me on the back. His hand was _near_ but never touched the thing. It was just a coincidence. Arrgh, come on! We're gonna be late for training. Thank god it's Friday." He said, frustrated.

Though on his way back, he ran into a few mishaps. On his way to the Zeta beam, there was a small robbery in an alley way, a fire, and another robbery at a bank. The robbers had some type of ice ray with them. They got him a couple of times, but the armor adapted itself and created a heat ray and melted Jaime out of it. After he was finally done and made sure they were all de-iced, he quickly made way downtown. He cut behind some old buildings no longer in use, to an opened space. He walked towards a shaddy old shed and opened it. He looked behind him to see if he was being followed. Seeing that all was clear, he closed it and sat inside on the stool. "Blue Beetle B22" he said. A flash of light scanned his body.

_Recognized. Blue beetle B22. Access Granted._

* * *

"School should be over, so the others should be heading in right about now." Nightwing said.

"Why do I have to be homeschooled?" Beast Boy asked.

"Who else knows a little green boy with green hair?" Nightwing pointed out ruffling the boy's hair as he was walking towards the training area.

"Point taken…" the boy noted.

As they were chatting, the team, finally being released from school arrived at the mountain. One by one they each arrived.

All but Jaime did not arrive. Some started to train with a partner on their own until Jaime arrived.

"Does anyone know where blue is at?" Nightwing asked, finally interrupting their self-training. He was usually in before the rest arrived. Everyone else shrugged their shoulders, absolutely having no knowledge of where their teammate was at.

"After school activities?" Megan said.

"Detention." Karen said.

"Date with a girl!" Cassie blurted.

"Someone probably realized he's a nut job and sent him to the Looney bin." La'gaan said.

"He's probably got his hands full on some crime." Robin shrugged his shoulders.

Nightwing brought his hand to his forehead.

"Why did I even ask...One, he always shows up for training. Two, I've checked his grades. He's passing in all of them, one of the highest gpa in his school so he wouldn't risk getting detention. Three, still going on single and Four, really? Five, you were right, but I was hoping someone else was for once, no offence." he set his hands on his hips. He shook his head. "I should definitely set up more Team bonding time." He sighed. The Original team always had bonding time when they could. The team mumbled, Megan and Conner chose not to say anything at all. After the incident with Jaime on a 'personal' mission, Conner felt a bit closer to the boy.

"Since you seem to know so much about him, why ask then?" La'gann asked.

"To test you, you at least have to know about the wear abouts of your teammates. Now that I think about it, you never actually did have any bonding time at all. You know, to get to know each other more?"

"We do bond!" Cassie said.

"Little snippets during missions don't count." Nightwing sighed and shook his head. Everyone's head shot up when the computer announced Blue Beetle's arrival. Everyone turned to see the boy in his Blue Beetle outfit, panting.

"I'm sorry I'm late! Had to deal with all the sudden crimes that popped up." Jaime retracted the armor, revealing his sweaty feature.

_All of the activities are wearing you down. Your fatigue levels are high. Combat training is not recommended at all._

"You're tardy." Karen spat out when she saw him. She never particularly liked it when someone got on to her because of someone else.

"Why didn't you just say you were going to be late?" La'gann huffed out.

"Yeah! We were all waiting for you!" Cassie said, a tad bit angry that Nightwing got onto them. She crossed her arms. She was trying real hard to get on his good side so she won't have to go back home.

"Uhh—" Jaime noticed the team staring at him. Mal and Conner both didn't glare, As Mal wasn't really ON the team, and Conner actually cared.

"It'd be a bit pointless if you didn't use the comm. link. That's what they're for, ya know." Cassie said.

"Didn't have time to, you know, I had my mind on several other things at that moment." And trying not to pass out was one of them.

"Neptune's beard! It would've only taken a few seconds!"

"Alright, what's going on here? I was just a bit late taking care of some crime activity. Didn't have time to phone you guys because something else more important was on my mind! Jeez, if I was so late, why didn't you call and ask? Ay dios mio, did a something crawl up your butt?" almost yelling at them.

Most of the team got a bit angry. Babs was flat out confused. Robin tried to calm both of them down, but failed. He kept trying though, but La'gaan had a thing for making people angry. Mal was just as lost as Babs, as was Beast boy. Conner was looking apologetic, didn't know if he should butt in or not, feeling he wanted the rookies to deal with it on their own. Megan tried to stop the argument as well, trying to shush her boyfriend up. Beast boy decided to jump in and help his sister out.

Babs slid over to Nightwing, who was all but calm and didn't bother butting in.

"Are you just going to stand there?" she whispered.

"They need to figure and deal things on their own. Most of us know how to work with a team, while the new ones don't. Hopefully the more they argue, they can make up and become closer." He told her.

"Yeah, but you're the leader!"

"You're part of the team too, and you aren't really used to team things, since you're standing over here and not over there. Besides, I can't always be there to deal things out all the time. They have to learn."

He did have a point there.

"I'm late one time! All of you had days when you're late too! Why do you have to get on my back!" Jaime shouted. His head started to pound, but he ignored it. "You and Megan were the ones who were late the most, dating and smooching and all that!" it was true. They had their dates, mostly back at La'gaan's home place. When they had sudden missions, they were gone the most and had to do the mission without them.

La'gaan growled, stepping up to the boy. He poked the boy's chest numerous times. "Don't you ever bring Angel Fish into this, or else."

_This Ugly Creature is a threat._

Jaime swatted La'gaan's hand away. He always hated bullies, but seriously. They were heroes for pete's sakes! He laughed at the Scarab's mark of the Atlantean. "Or else what?" he glared at him in his large red eyes.

"La'gaan enough!" Megan snapped at him and tried to pull him away.

"No Megan. Let's hear what he has to say." Continuing to stare at the teen before him.

La'gaan smirked as he crossed his arms. "Fine. Truth be told, you're psychotic. You always argue with yourself almost one hundred percent of the time. I'm surprised you even get out alive through each mission. You don't even know how to use the thing! It's not hard to spot it when you bring out one weapon and change into another and grumble about it. You always make rude comments and yell when we talk to you. Wouldn't be surprised if you don't have any friends, you scare 'em all off. Pretty sure nobody on the team likes you at all and thinks you're a freak and personally, I liked the previous Blue Beetle better." He spat all out to the boy, who all but seemed a bit hurt by the comment.

"La'gaan, you're taking this too far!" Robin shouted at him.

A freak? He looked at the others around him, who didn't say anything. Most looked at him with sorrowful eyes.

Babs turned to Nightwing.

"Why aren't you doing anything!" she yelled at him. Mal nodded as well. He was the leader, why was he not doing his job?

Conner clenched his hands and walked towards the boy to defend him. Nightwing stopped him and shook his head.

"Just watch." Conner gave him disbelieving eyes. "I know it's hard, it's not easy for me to either. They have to sort this out. Adults can't always go and break up fights all the time. They have to get this all out of their systems and learn to stick up for each other. None of you are going in until I say so." He stared at him, defeated and looked back towards the group.

"That was low, and cruel." Karen stepped in front of the Atlantean. She turned towards the hurt boy. "Hey, he didn't mean it."

"Hah. I did, it's the truth. We all know it, but you all just don't want to admit it." La'gaan replied.

"Jaime, he didn't—" Megan started.

He stepped back. So they thought he was a freak? Even if he told them now, they would still be afraid of him. "I-I don't have time for this." he turned around to head home. Honestly if he knew this was coming he would've listened to the Scarab for once and not go.

"Wait—Jaime!" Megan went after him and grabbed the boy by his shoulder to stop him. He slapped her hand away from him, albeit rather too harshly then he meant to. He honestly couldn't believe she still thought La'gaan as the one for her.

Megan yelped a bit at the sudden slap she received. She knew he was very upset from the emotions she as feeling from him. He was the kind to never physically hurt anyone in an argument. He would only storm off. She looked at him, and using her powers, knowing Conner would be angry at her later, tried to calm the boy's mind.

_You, Filthy White Martian, are not welcome here at all._

"Hey, don't hurt my sister!" Garfield yelled, standing in front of her in a protective stance.

"Hey, she was only trying to help you!" Cassie yelled at him, walking towards them and pulling Megan back, to her refusal. What was that she just heard? A voice from Jaime's mind, but not his. And it knew she was a White Martian! She stared angrily, trying to figure it out. She tried to pry, but the thing pushed her back.

"RAAH!" all it took was for Jaime to lay a hand on his precious Angel Fish. He saw her upset, and now angered face. Now he would pay for causing her pain. He activated his strength and jumped towards the boy as Cassie pulled Megan away.

La'gaan pounded the ground, missing Jaime as he dodged, but the blow from the Atlantean made him fly into the wall, making a huge crater.

Jaime got up, ignoring his body screaming of pain, and rubbed his head. He got up, breathing rather harshly. "That's I—ARGH!" Jaime could no longer move, as his whole body cringed and paralyzed. He tried to lift his arms, or move his legs but couldn't. He couldn't even move his head.

Once the dust had dissipated, La'gaan was about to charge, but halted once he saw Jaime.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Jaime yelled at the Scarab.

_Protecting you. Now sleep._

"I-I'm not doing anything!" La'gaan stuttered. He only wanted to rough him up a bit, but the actions now, he did not cause. He turned around towards his Angel Fish.

"Are you—?" he started to ask.

"I'm not doing anything!" she said. "Something—it's inside his head. I tried to go in and calm him, but it shut me out!" she look at Jaime. She could try and pry more, but didn't want to damage his mind either.

"Do we go now!" Babs yelled at the tall raven haired teen.

Nightwing glared at Jaime…what on earth was going on? Something in his mind is controlling him? It basically shut Megan out.

"It's the Scarab…" Conner whispered out.

Nightwing turned towards Conner. "What?"

"I went on a mission with Blue, and he told me that the Scarab, the beetle on his back, talks to him. He said, day by day, he could feel it taking over. It extends the armor out by itself when it sees anything as a threat to him."

"Why didn't you say anything to me?" This type of information could've made this whole ordeal not happen.

"He wanted to tell everyone, but was afraid they would see him…differently."

Jaime's armor extended out, slowly but forcefully. A blue energy surrounded the boy as he screamed.

"NO! ST-STOP!" Jaime yelled.

_I will not. This has gone too far. I will not let this so called team of yours hurt you. Now rest._

As the armor fully extended, a sudden bright, electrical shock came from the armor as Jaime's eyes rolled back. He cried out in sudden pain, but quieted as he was unconscious. His body however did not go down, as it was now in the control of the Scarab. The armor finally covered his face, and the rest of his body.

It did not like being in control. It…didn't feel right to him…at all. He would not admit it, but it liked the boy. He was not cruel to him, and always suggesting an alternative. His soul was...in a way…pure.

"Wha-what's happening?" Cassie cried out.

"Megan! Can you not do anything!" Conner asked her as he ran up to her.

"No! I can't. I can't go in or else I'll do too much damage to him. Besides, whatever that's in there, it won't let me."

"_**This has gone on far too long. You all will be eliminated." **_The scarab announced. It formed the plasma cannon, and pointed at the group.

Nightwing stepped up in front of everyone. He glared at him, trying to make sense. Hearing what Conner just said, it had a mind of its own, trying to take over Jaime's body.

"_**You are not deemed much as a threat. Step away, or I will eliminate you along with everyone else."**_

"He wasn't going to seriously hurt him!" he told the Scarab. "Blue beetle, please calm down! Eliminating the threat never fixes the problem."

"_**Where I come**_ _**from, that's how you survive."**_

"But what will you say to Jaime when he wakes? That you eliminated all of his friends?"

"…_**he will learn to deal with it…" **_it charged the plasma cannon.

"Blue beetle, you can surely punch and beat up La'gaan, I don't mind—"

"Hey!"

"but you can't eliminate all of Jaime's friends! Including La'gaan."

"_**What sort of 'friend' makes the sort of commentary towards Jaime? The boy was practically heartbroken to hear his so called only friends think of him as a freak."**_

"La'gaan never really meant it." Nightwing turned towards the Atlantean. "Didn't you." He glared.

"Neptune's beard! I called him a few names! He needs to learn how to have a tough shell! I stopped caring what other's think of me a long time ago!" La'gaan was too, called a freak. Some even thought he was a monster, every time he would surface to the land.

"_**The boy has been under much stress. Today particularly, since his body has been infected by the Influenza virus. I tried to reason with the boy and have him stay home, but he refused to do so. He didn't want to skip 'training' either. Yet you all directed your anger at the boy for merely being a little late."**_

"He didn't even bother to tell us!" La'gaan yelled.

"_**He was too focused on saving lives, and not passing out than for trivial matters as calling in."**_

Well now La'gaan feels bad. If he knew the boy was sick, he would've dropped it and ignored him…kinda.

"Alright, alright I'm sorry!"

"_**Apologizing does not matter. You are a threat, harming the boy." **_ The Scarab pointed the cannon at them. _**"I will protect Jaime." **_The scarab blasted the cannon. Everyone grabbed one another and jumped out of the way.

Nightwing grabbed Babs and dodged. He thought to himself. Protect? Does it not want to take over his body and take it as its own? Wait…I didn't make sense. The only times it extended the armor, from what Conner told him in detail, was from whatever that posted as a threat to Jaime. If it really wanted to take over, it would've tried to take over his body all the time.

So he wanted to protect the boy? And from the situation right now, he…she…it's protecting Jaime from harm.

So it bonded with the boy, quite literally too from Conner's description.

Does it think of Jaime as a friend…or possibly more? Probably it's only friend for that matter. It explains the overprotectiveness of the young boy.

So it wanted to only protect Jaime.

Because it cared for him.

"Blue Beetle!" Nightwing called out to it. "Blue Beetle, please calm down!"

"_**My name, is Khaji Da."**_

"Khaji, please try to understand. La'gaan had no motive to make any serious harm to Jaime! He was only protecting Megan, who he cares about just as you're protecting who you care about!"

"…" Khaji stared at Nightwing.

"You! You care about Jaime obviously! Whatever harm comes his way, you only thought what was right to protect him!" Nightwing saw Khaji lower his weapon, listening to him. Good.

"I know how it feels, not wanting any harm come to someone you really care about! But it's doing more harm than helping! I know how you feel, and I know how Jaime feels too."

"…_**then how does Jaime feel…"**_ Khaji asked.

"He feels…angry. Anger because you don't believe that he is able to handle himself. Sad because you don't believe in him, but he's somewhat…happy…relieved that some cares so much for him as to act in a way that you do. Jaime may have not realized it, but deep down, he knows you care for him."

"_**Only because if he is tarnished, I am as well. Vice versa."**_

"You know that's not true. You may have felt that way before, but things have changed…didn't it?"

"…" Khaji lowered himself down to the ground. _**"Why. Why must you interfere?"**_

Nightwing walked forward slowly and stopped in front of him. "Because I'm stopping you from making a mistake and losing Jaime as your friend." Nightwing said in a soft spoken tone. In a way as he would to a scared child.

"You're not the only one to feel that way Khaji Da." Mal said. He had his arms around Karen. "We all feel the need to protect what we really care about. We, at times, feel the need to harm others in order to protect what is dear to us."

Khaji looked at him and the so called Karen. He also look around, seeing the other's being protective of the White Martian when Jaime had slapped her hand away. He saw the White Martian holding the little green simian like boy in her arms when he had blasted them with the plasma cannon. He also remembers a glimpse when Nightwing unconsciously protected the Batgirl as well, though he probably didn't notice it too much.

"But we all know it's never the answer to solve our problems. For all we know, the important thing can very much pack a powerful punch." At that remark, Karen elbowed him in the gut. He laughed and continued on. "But if you're trying to solve a problem, do it together. A little thing called bonding."

_Bonding?_

Khaji retracted the plasma cannon. _**"As I mentioned before, Jaime has been infected with the influenza. With all the heroic actions from this morning and after school, his body is in need of rest. I believe this place has proper medical equipment that is suitable for Jaime than my course of action."**_

"Of course, I'd be happy to help." Nightwing smiled.

"_**Do not get me wrong. I do not trust you all…yet, especially the Atlantean there. I will personally be keeping a closer eye on you."**_

"Uh-huh…" La'gaan nodded slowly.

Khaji turned to leave, only to start staggering. He felt drained. Something must've made Jaime's fever worsened. Khaji dropped down to the floor, unable to move.

Nightwing turned to see Khaji on the floor. "Khaji!" he went over to him.

"_**Jaime's body…the fever is getting much worse. My body scanner shows…he is 103.5 degrees Fahrenheit. His body is very weak." **_ He tried getting up. _**"The weaker his body gets, the weaker I get."**_

"Gahh! Don't try to move!" Nightwing insisted, but the scarab didn't listen. He turned towards Megan, but she knew what to do.

"I'm already on it!" Megan said as she tanged through the wall and went to set up the medical equipment for Jaime.

"I'll go and pull up his medical records just in case." Babs said as she left for the Medical bay.

Conner went over to pick Khaji up and took him to the Medical bay, much to the scarab's refusal.

As everyone entered, save for Mal as he went and made a phone call about Jaime staying over at his 'friend's' house for the weekend.

"You're going to need to retract the armor. We have to get the I.V. in." Conner said as he helped Megan prep up. The scarab stared, but retracted the armor on only his right arm.

"Sorry, you're going to need to retract the whole armor. We need to cool him down." Megan said.

The scarab continued to glare at them, mostly at La'gaan.

"Nothing is going to happen." Nightwing assured him.

He nodded and retracted the whole armor. Jaime's body went limp; Conner and Nightwing caught him in time before he crashed on the bed. Nightwing took a Bat-a-rang out snipped off Jaime's clothes, leaving him in his boxers. They hooked him up to the I.V. and set a cooling pack on his forehead.

"Come one, we all need to talk." Nightwing said softly as he left to the living area.

* * *

As they approached the space, they all sat down and waited for Nightwing to speak, though Karen chose to speak up.

"You just had to say that, didn't you." She said to La'gaan.

"Neptune's beard! I didn't know that was going to happen! How was I supposed to know!"

"Instead of being impulsive, hot headed and a jerk, you could've been nice and made friends with him. He probably would've told you." Conner snapped at him.

"Wait—you knew?" Megan asked.

"I took him along for a personal mission. During the ride, he told me that that thing, the beetle, is stuck on his back, connected to his spine. If he did manage to remove it, he would be paralyzed. So it's not like he has a choice. The Scarab…or Khaji Da as he so named himself, talks to him."

"So that armor is living?" Robin asked.

Conner nodded. "He calls it Jiminy Cricket with a bad attitude….like an inner demon. Whenever it senses that Jaime is in danger, it extends the armor and uses…or tries to use lethal force and 'eliminate the threat' as he so calls it."

"Well…that explains why he argues to himself a lot." Cassie said slowly.

"And all the snappy comments wasn't towards us, it was to…Khaji." Karen pointed out.

"So during missions when Blue Beetle was 'having trouble' with the armor, it was actually Khaji's doing?" Garfield asked. Conner nodded.

"Protecting Jaime in a dark way." Babs said. Nightwing nodded.

"Now do you see why we need to have bonding time?" Nightwing sighed. "This could've been all avoided if you only knew him and got along." Nightwing rubbed his temples.

"Bonding…it's what makes us closer together. " Megan said, hugging her little brother. "If we're closer, than working as a team…we'll be even stronger."

Conner tilted his head. Nightwing as well as Megan knew Conner was hearing something.

"Is it Jaime?" Nightwing asked.

"He's regaining consciousness." Megan said. She sat Garfield down beside her and got up. "I'm gonna go check on him." she said and left. Nightwing and Conner went after her, and the other's followed.

* * *

"Jaime?" Megan asked when she entered the Medical bay. She flew inside and towards Jaime, replacing the old ice pack with a new cool one. The others walked in.

"Auugh…wha-what happened?" Jaime said, getting up. "Where am I?" he had a killer headache, and started getting a bit dizzy.

"Wha—don't get up! Your fever went down, but it's still high than normal." Megan insisted.

Jaime sat up anyways. He cradled his head and hissed at the aches and pain from his body, especially when he almost pulled the I.V. out.

"You're in the Medical Bay." Conner said going up to him. "How ya feeling?"

"Like I got dragged around by el lobo. Mi cuerpo duele, man." He groaned, massaging his neck.

"What was the last thing you remembered?" Nightwing asked.

"Uhh, I came in the mountain and said I was sorry for being late…then nothing." Jaime tried to remember, but the pounding in his head stopped him. "Man, I passed out didn't I?" he rubbed his head. "Sorry about missing training."

"It wasn't your fault." La'gaan said from behind the group. He leaned onto the wall.

"Are you sure you don't remember anything?" Nightwing asked him.

Jaime shook his head. "Did something hap—" Jaime clutched his head in pain as the memories returned. His eyes widened at the realization.

They knew.

He looked up and panicked.

_Jaime, you need to calm down or you won't get any better._

"Get any better, you shocked the heck outta me!" he said, remembering the few second pain.

"Uhh…" Garfield started. "Is he talking to Khaji again?" he looked at everyone, who all but nodded.

_Yes, and I apologize for that. Judging from my scanners, you were about to faint anyways. I don't particularly like taking over the entire armor by force._

"You seem fine forming the plasma cannon every time there was danger." Jaime grumbled.

"So that's what the thing he shot us with was…" Robin snapped his fingers. He was so making one.

"Don't even think about it Robin." Nightwing told the boy. He knew what his younger brother was thinking.

_They were deemed as a threat. So I did what seemed natural to me and tried to eliminate it. Besides, I tried to…reason you into using it._

"More like peer pressure, ese."

"What does Ese mean anyways?" Cassie wondered.

"It's slang, like homeboy and the like." Babs replied.

_If you wish to call it that._

"Wait…what did you do when you took over?" he questioned the Scarab.

_You should ask your friend, blue bird._

"Wha—blue bird…" he turned towards Nightwing and stared at the blue bird insignia on his chest. "Nightwing? What did I—he do?"

Nightwing sighed. "Well, after he knocked you out, he formed the…plasma cannon and fired a shot at us, and no, nobody was hurt. He tried to eliminate us all but we managed to calm him down and reason with him."

"You fired the plasma cannon at them!" Jaime yelled to the scarab.

_I was mad. They…hurt you. I couldn't just stay back and do nothing._

"Wha…" Jaime was at a loss for words. The Scarab cared?

La'gaan sighed heavily. He walked up towards the boy and stood before him. He crossed his arms. Jaime looked at him.

"I'm sorry about the things I said to you. I shouldn't have said those things, so I'm sorry."

"I-it's alright. That's the kind of reactions I usually get from the guys at school. Well, at least you apologized." He chuckled nervously.

La'gaan inwardly sighed. Now he feels even more horrible. The boy was bullied at school too!

"Um, so…friends…then?" he chuckled again and stuck his hand out.

La'gaan smirked and took the hand. "Friends."

Jaime was relieved and smiled. The moment was interrupted when Garfield leaped up and slapped his hand on top of theirs.

"Oh, oh! Me too!" Garfield eyes widened a bit. He looked at Jaime. "And I'm sorry too, I know you really didn't mean to hurt my sister."

"Oh…about that, sorry Megs."

Megan smiled and laid her hand on top too. "Don't worry; I know you didn't mean it. Friends!"

"Yea, I'm sorry too. You're a cool kid Jaime." Cassie said when she slapped her hand on top too and grinned.

Karen joined her hand as well. "Let's all be closer from now on."

"And together, we'll be unstoppable." Babs joined in as well.

Nightwing glanced at his little brother, and laughed to himself. The boy was obviously figuring out the blue prints for the Plasma Cannon as is. He smirked as he leaned into Conner and whispered in his ear. Conner smiled and shoved his boot on Robin's butt, causing him to grab hold of the multiple hands.

"So not cool!" Robin said, blushing.

Conner cocked an eyebrow and smirked.

"Alright, alright. Jaime needs to rest some more. He still has a fever. For all I know, any of you could catch his flu from contact with him." Nightwing chuckled evilly.

Everyone jerked their hands back.

"Ah, gross! I don't wanna catch the flu!" Garfield blurted out as he ran for the bathroom.

"I have an interview in two days, can't afford to miss that." Karen said as she ran to cleanse herself too.

"Aw, bunch of wussies." Cassie said, but headed towards the bathroom as well.

"I don't think Martians can get earth viruses…but you can never be too sure…" she tanged through the ceiling and headed towards the bathroom above them.

"Glad I'm wearing gloves." Babs said. She waved goodbye to Jaime and left.

Robin on the other hand put his hand to his chin, thinking as he walked out. "Get well soon, Jaime." He mumbled out before leaving.

"You'll be spending the weekend here. I already called your Mother and told her you would be staying at a friend's." Mal mentioned before he too walked off.

La'gaan walked off, and before leaving he turned around and looked at Jaime. He smirked, wishing him good health and went home.

Conner smirked and ruffled the boy's hair and wandered off as well.

"Don't worry Jaime. They're your friends now. Now I gotta take my leave and go after Robin. Pretty sure he didn't wash his hands at all." Nightwing smiled to the boy, who smiled back at him. He ruffled the boy's hair as well. He turned off the lights and left.

Jaime sighed, relieved. Everything was going to be alright. He plopped back onto the bed and shut his eyes.

"You're just full of surprises, man." He mumbled to the Scarab.

"_My name is Khaji Da by the way."_

Jaime's eyes fluttered back instantly. "You waited three years to tell me your name! Dude, not cool!"

* * *

**I hoped you enjoyed it :D Been having this one in my pile. Had to finish this one :) Feel free to leave a comment! I love to hear from you guys! :D **

**(EDIT)There is also a certain phrase/quote from one of the Young Justice member that was not featured in this story! (forgot to mention that)**

It was one of my all time favorite quote.. Can anyone tell me from who and what phrase/quote? :O


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